MEMOIRS 03? JOSEPH, GBIMAXBI. 63
" Easily said. How do you do it ?" said the first speaker:
" it will take no end of time, and make no end of noise, to undo
all these things. "We had better look sharp. There's no re-
hearsal to-night, remember."
At this, they both laughed, and determining to take the
front-parlour first, picked the lock without more ado. This
done, they pttshed against the door to open it, but were unable
to do so by reason of the bolts inside, which Mr. Trott had taken
good care to thrust into the staples as far as they would possi-
bly go.
" This is a rum game!" said one of the fellows, giving the
door a kick, "it wont open !'*
"Never mind, let it be," said the other man; "there's a
spring or something. The back kitchen's open; we had better
begin there; we know there's some property here, because we
took it away before. Show yourself smart, and bring the
bag."
As the speaker stooped to trim, his lantern, the other man
joined him, and said, with an oath and a chuckle—
" Shouldn't you like to know who it was as struck you with
the sword, Tom?"
" I wish I did," growled the other; " I'd put a knife in Trim
before many days was over. Come on."
They went down stairs, and Trott, softly gliding from his
hiding-place, double-looked the street-door, and put the key in
his pocket. He then stationed himself at the top of the kitchen
stairs, where he listened with great glee to the exclamations of
surprise and astonishment which escaped the robbers, as they
opened drawer after drawer, and found them all empty.
" Everything taken away!"—said one of the men; " what the
devil does this mean ?"
The officer, by way of reply, fired a pistol charged only with
blank powder, down the stairs, and retreated expeditiously to
his parlour.t open," said the other man, " and then